Slipknot's Vermilion Squared

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First look at pix from the two upcoming videos.

By IGN Music

Following closely on the heels of their successful second stage headlining gig on the 2004 Ozzfest, not to mention the high profile chart position of the "Duality" single culled from their latest sonic opus Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), everybody's favorite masked marauders of metal are poised to tweak the minds of the masses with their dual videos for the two versions of their song "Vermilion."

"Vermilion" and "Vermilion Pt. 2" will simultaneously impact all rock radio formats and national video channels in early October. The song "Vermilion" begins the story of obsession, with a gothic rock beat and frustrated, aggressive vocal. "Vermilion Pt. 2" is a haunting continuation of the story, complete with acoustic guitar, violin and Corey Taylor's pained, vulnerable delivery. The melody and the overriding theme run through both versions, making them integral pieces to the same complex puzzle.

"The differences [between the 2 tracks] are subtle - 'Vermilion Pt. 1' is about the enrapturing, the buildup, the anticipation and the neurosis," says Taylor "'Part 2' is the aftermath, the pieces that have to be picked up later, and maybe the guilt of having lived through it."

A separate video was shot for each version of the track in Los Angeles in late-August. The clip for "Vermilion" was directed by Tony Petrossian and M. Shawn Crahan, co-directors of the "Duality" video. The video for "Vermilion Pt. 2" is being directed by Mark Klasfeld (whose work includes videos for Nelly, Vanessa Carlton, Sum 41, and Shyne).

The concept of the "Vermilion" video follows a young woman whose life is completely out of phase with the rest of the world. For every day that goes by her, she grows further away from her imprint of time in this reality. All she can do is stand alone and contemplate her isolation. Throughout the video, the only things in balance are her visions of the members of Slipknot in her subconscious.

"This is REAL," says co-director M. Shawn Crahan (better known to rabid "Maggots" as the Clown) "We chose to go down an artistic wormhole, and give our fans a beginning look of what else lies within our thought process. Whereas Duality captured the real intimacy of what we share with our fans, with "Vermilion", we finalize that chapter by grabbing a hold of our fans and taking them deeper into the experience of Slipknot. It's all starting over again -THIS IS REAL!"